1797 Silver Dollar 10X6 Stars - 1797  $1 10X6 Stars PCGS F12 CAC, BB-71. This 1797 Draped Bust, Small Eagle has the 10x6 star arrangement on the obverse. The coin is a mixture of light tan and silver-gray with hints of light blue and lilac. The devices are light with darker tan close to the edge. All the drapery lines on the bust show, and the hair from the forehead down past the ear and neck is outlined and shows slight detail. The grade of Fine 12 is confirmed by the CAC sticker, which is given only to those coins that meet stringent standards for quality within a grade. Aside from a couple of small scratches the surfaces are original and clean for the grade.

The BB-71 is the only variety with 16 stars and only six at the right. The last digit in the date is high. The 10x6 star arrangement is the only one in the dollar series. The reverse has large letters in the legend. The die was used to strike the BB-71 only.

The Draped Bust, Small Eagle silver dollar was made from 1795 to 1798. The design shows a draped bust of Liberty in profile facing right with her hair tied with a ribbon. Above is the word LIBERTY, and below is the date. Various combinations of stars were to the left and right of Liberty including 10 left and 6 right of the present coin, 9 left and 7 right, 15 stars and 13 stars on the obverse. The portrait, taken from a drawing by the famous artist Gilbert Stuart, is of Ann Bingham. John Eckstein translated this drawing to models for Engraver Robert Scot. Evidently Eckstein lost many of the nuances, which might explain why Stuarts family would not acknowledge his role in the coinage design. Dentils are near the edge on both sides of the coin. The edge is lettered HUNDRED CENTS ONE DOLLAR OR UNIT with ornamentation between the words. For the first three years of the Draped Bust dollar, the small eagle reverse similar to the prior design was used. It shows a small, unrealistic eagle poised to fly standing on a rock. Around the eagle is a wreath of laurel on the left and palm on the right. A ribbon ties the ends of the wreath together. The inscription UNITED STATES OF AMERICA encircles the design.

The Mint Director, Henry William DeSaussure, wished to place gold coinage in circulation and to improve the design of the other denominations especially silver. This desire is the reason he engaged Gilbert Stuart to submit a drawing for the new dollar obverse. In 1795 DeSaussure resigned his position because of illness and hostility from Congress. Many of the lawmakers wanted to abolish the Mint and continue the practice of using copper coins made at British token factories and foreign silver and gold coins. Elias Boudinot became the Mint Director after DeSaussure.

In its population report, as of June 2012, CAC has confirmed 1 silver dollar dated 1797 with the 10x6 Stars arrangement in Fine 12 condition with 13 better.